Sangsol Smoke Offering, Emory University

Opening ceremony for Tibet Week at Emory University. March 23, 2009. This is only one small segment of the entire ceremony and it was taken with a Nikon Coolpix L20 by a first-time user so it's a bit shaky. Here's the official description: "Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi and the Drepung Loseling monks. The Sangsol smoke offering is a traditional ritual where the burning of incense and other fragrant substances, such as juniper branches, send billowing clouds of white smoke to the sky. The smoke serves as a visual symbol for the offerings being given to enlightened deities and local nonhuman spirits. A liturgical text is chanted and combined with meditation, complex visualizations, and ritual music. This ancient ritual is believed to rid the external environment of pollution, pacify strife and conflict in the world, and clear internal blockages to resting in meditation. Mountain smoke offerings are often combined with the hanging of five-colored prayer flags. The flags are inscribed with images of enlightened deities, auspicious symbols, invocations, prayers, and mantras. The five colors of the flags represent the five elements: earth (yellow), water (green), fire (red), wind (white), and space (blue). Concluding prayers from the smoke offering are dedicated to the well-being of all sentient beings. The final part of this ritual will include everyone gathering in a large semi-circle and in one grand celebratory gesture of praising virtuous and compassionate actions, collectively throwing handfuls of barley flour in the air, proclaiming loudly, "Ki Ki So So, Lha Gya Lo!"

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Education

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• Emory University
• Tibetan ritual